You may know him as the James Bond or the sultry husband of Rachel Weisz–and we know him as a fashion guru. Impressively masculine, charming, and stoic Daniel Craig embodies the image of style and male fashion. He doesn’t get caught up in silly trends, but sticks with the basics and always looks good while doing so.

Becoming a man of style here at Cufflinksman is no easy feat. Few men in modern media meet our standards, but Daniel Craig definitely has them. “Craig’s reserved demeanor and his avoidance of the showbiz-party-red-carpet milieu makes him a cool “007”. He is the first blonde actor to play Bond, and also the first to be born after the start of the film series, and also the first to be born after the death of author Ian Fleming in 1964.”(SOURCE: IMBD.COM)

Even ASKMEN.COM takes notice of his stylish demeanor: “Look at Bond’s black-tie digs during the Craig era proves that point perfectly. Casino Royale featured what at first glance appears to be a traditional tux but in reality packs the punch for which Bond is known. The button is solo, the lapels are peak and the fit, of course, is glove-like. The shirt and tie likewise have a subtle surprise in store: The placket is hidden and topped off with a bow that could almost be considered Pee-wee-esque if it weren’t worn with a Walther P99. Bond wore it undone, so the practicality inherent to its slimness cannot be stressed enough. After all, who wants to have a bulky bow flailing in the wind? The same can be said about protecting that pricey stud set with the covered placket. As for the shoes, well, if you paid close attention, you’d know they weren’t patent. That would almost be too predictable. Rather, they’re simply high-shine oxfords that are far more versatile — that is, if John Lobb lace-ups for two Gs can be considered simple.

Why were the 60s so grand? Surely it wasn’t the psychedelics, but rather the music that was produced during this imitable era. We have the Beatles, The Temptations, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, The Rolling Stones…and the list just keeps going on.

Here at Cufflinksman, we’d like to give you OUR top 5 songs of the decade for this upcoming Winter Season. How do they measure up to your standards?

1. Beach Boys “God Only Knows”
“This song fires twin darts at your heart from the beginning. A maudlin French horn heralds the start before those timeless words “I may not always love you” pin you to the wall. You’re at Brian Wilson’s mercy from then on as he tips out tumbling drums and sweet harmonies relentlessly for the next three minutes. Simon from Biffy Clyro has the lyrics tattooed across his chest and it’s Paul…” -from NME.com

2. Bob Dylan “Girl From the North Country”

“The song was written following his first trip to England in December, 1962, upon what he thought to be the completion of his second album. It is debated as to whom this song is a tribute to, some claim former girlfriend, Echo Helstrom, and some Bonnie Beecher, both of whom Dylan knew before leaving for New York.”–from Wiki

Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited by many critics as one of the most important and influential groups of the 1960s.[1] In a 1982 interview Brian Eno made the often repeated statement that while the first Velvet Underground album may have sold only 30,000 copies in its early years, “everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band.”

Andy Warhol managed the Velvet Underground and it was the house band at his studio, the Factory, and his Exploding Plastic Inevitable events. The provocative lyrics of some of the band’s songs gave a nihilistic outlook to some of their music”

Okay, following the small session of our “Style Icons” from last week, we decided to feature a cool new artist, who is also a trend setter in her own right. This young, Brooklyn singer came up out of nowhere, and we’re loving her craft. Not only is she beautiful, in that stunning 50s kind of way, with a melodic haunting voice that harks back to the talent (RIP always) Amy Winehouse.

When she was twenty years old, Del Rey signed a record contract for $10,000 and moved into a trailer park outside of the city. Her album, however, was shelved, causing her to shift her focus. Instead, she began to work in community service. “Homeless outreach, drug and alcohol rehabilitation – that’s been my life for the past five years,” she told Vogue in 2012. Felicia Sullivan of The Huffington Post spoke with Del Rey after the release of Kill Kill about her life in the trailer park.[26] Del Rey said:

“I didn’t feel trapped in a trailer park. I felt trapped before I got to the trailer park because I had nowhere to live. When I got my trailer, everyone there had the same taste as I did. We all liked giant, lush, fake flower gardens and liked to decorate the walls with streamers even if it wasn’t our birthday. I couldn’t have been happier there. Before that, I did dream of escaping. I always just figured it was gonna be a man who would take me away. I don’t know if I deserve a good man, but I think about it sometimes.”

After uploading a few of her tracks to her YouTube channel, Del Rey was discovered and was signed by Stranger Records to release her debut single “Video Games”. She told The Observer, “I just put that song online a few months ago because it was my favourite. To be honest, it wasn’t going to be the single but people have really responded to it.” The song earned her a Q award for “Next Big Thing” in October 2011. The same month, she signed a joint deal withInterscope Records and Polydor to work on her second studio album Born to Die. Del Rey built anticipation to the album by doing a number of live appearances, such as promotional concerts at the Bowery Ballroom and at theChateau Marmont,

Where/How to Get There: 2 or 3 to Eastern Parkway—Brooklyn Museum station; B or Q to Prospect Park station; 4 or 5 to Franklin Avenue; S shuttle to Prospect Park station. (The B train does not run on weekends)

The Carl Schurz Park Conservancy is the oldest community-based volunteer park association in the city of New York. In the 1970s, concerned parents banded together and organized a funding campaign to supplant drastic parks budgetary cuts and save the Carl Schurz Park playground from further ruin. Working in close partnership with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the Conservancy has become the citizen caretaker of Carl Schurz Park, allocating its operational and capital funds as the City and the Conservancy assess the state of the park, and the programs the community will enjoy and value.

Where? Between 48-51st streets and 5th avenue. Note: you must buy tickets

Sit outside at as many restaurant/cafes as possible.That’s right! The restuatrants pay for that extra sidewalk space, so use it while it’s still warm out. Go around the entire city and find your favorite outdoor spots. Ours is centered around Yaffa Cafe on St. Marks and 1st Ave and Cloister Cafe on 9th between 2nd and 1st avenue.

Where? Off the coast of Manhattan, a 5 minute ferry ride away. Governors Island is open every Saturday, Sunday and Holiday Monday (Memorial Day and Labor Day) from May 26-September 30.

Take a ferry to Staten Island and back (Just for the boat ride. don’t get off at Staten Island. That would be…you know…)

Do the free kayaking at the Chelsea Piers:

The Downtown Boathouse is an all volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free public access to the harbor in New York City through public kayaking programs. Our mission is to encourage safe public use of the harbor waters of New York City and thereby provide residents of this space-constrained city with increased recreational opportunities. We support our operations exclusively through volunteers and with your public donations.

Pier 40 offers Walk up Kayakingevery weekend and holiday from 9AM until 6PM with the last boat going out at 5:30, and Thursday evenings from 5PM-7PM with the last boat going out at 6:30PM. Check the Calendar for more details. Pier 40 offers has lockers, a changing room and shower and hose to rinse off with. We have limited number of locks available, Please bring your own lock.